8-bit programmable computer is an implementation of an 8-bit computer in Conway's Game of Life designed and built in 2016 by Nicolas Loizeau.[1] An improved scalable version of the design with optimized circuitry, a 32x32 pixel display, and instructions to handle arrays was created in 2021.[2]
Architecture
The computer supports eight variables and 13 instructions -- write, goto, move, jumpif, print, add, or, and, xor, not, flat, sign, and increment. The computer is programmed by changing the arrangement of structures in its Program area.
The improved version possesses two more instructions, shift and rotate, as well as a display that uses disp and erase instructions.
Comparison with other computer patterns
- The 8-bit programmable computer is considerably simpler than the Spartan universal computer-constructor, in large part because it does not contain a universal construction component.
- It is easy to program with the help of the associated Python utility script, assembly.py, and associated resources which can be found in the project's GitHub repository.
- It is capable of performing standard 8-bit AND, OR, XOR, and NOT operations using any of its eight variables. The improved version can process up to 128 variables, which can be 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit. Additionally, the improved version can use its variables as addresses that can be read from or written to.
References
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